The leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council will be meeting councillors in Stone soon to explain the city’s bid for a HS2 station – and its impact on Stone – in more detail.
Stone Town Council issued the press release below on Thursday evening, in which it says Cllr Mohammed Pervez, the leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, apologised to the town council for not briefing councillors on their plans.
Members of Stone Town Council had instructed the town clerk last week to write to the Department of Transport to set out their objection to the city council’s bid for a HS2 station. More on that HERE
Here’s the press release from Stone Town Council in full…
Following recent discussions regarding Stoke-on-Trent’s likely submission to the HS2 consultation process, the Town Council are grateful to have received an apology from Councillor Mohammed Pervez, Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, for not having briefed Stone Town Councillors on their proposals more fully.
Their likely submission, which is being considered by the City Council on 30th January in advance of the submission deadline on 31st January, suggests that the proposed HS2 route from Stone to Barlaston be realigned and the current West Coast Main Line from Barlaston and onwards through Stoke-on-Trent be upgraded to accommodate high speed trains.
Stone Town Council are extremely concerned about the effect this potential realignment could have on the Town and Community of Stone, particularly in view of the lack of detailed information currently available.
Councillor Pervez has made an offer to the Town Council that his team would to come to Stone to meet Town Councillors and explain their plans in more detail. It is hoped that this meeting can be arranged within the next few weeks.
Stone Town Council’s Controlling Group Leader, Councillor Philip Jones, said: “I am grateful to Councillor Pervez, and we will gladly accept his offer of a meeting to explain further the City Council’s plans. However I am not yet persuaded that the design of the route itself will be left to Stoke City Council. When a number of alternative routes were first drawn up a line to Stoke went through the middle of Stone.”
